Salon cape with clear window to allow the use of electronic devices

ABSTRACT

An apparatus includes a cape portion that defines an opening through which an individual may view and item held in their hands when the cape portion is placed around the body of the individual. The transparent window is removably connected to the cape portion for covering the opening in the cape portion.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/434,853, filed on Jan. 21, 2011, and entitled HAIRCUT CAPE WITH CLEAR WINDOW TO ALLOW THE USE OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES (Atty. Dkt. No. AVYT-30,554), the specification of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to capes placed over an individual during a haircut or hairstyling, and more particularly, to a cape including a removable window enabling a person wearing the cape to view an item but enable removal of the window for cleaning of the cape.

BACKGROUND

Capes used during a haircut or hairstyling are well known and are worn by an individual within a barbershop or hair salon while their hair is being worked on. The customer sits in a chair and the barber or hairstylist places the cape over the body of the customer and the cape connects to the customer by being fastened around their neck. The material of the cape prevents hair or other material used during the hairstyling or cutting process from getting on the customer.

If a customer wishes to view an item such as a cell phone, MP3, tablet PC, computer, book or other type of portable electronic device or small item, the customer must hold their arms above the surface of the cape and hold the item in their hands. This can allow a customer's hair or the chemicals or products being used during the haircutting or styling process to get on the customer's arms and the item they are holding. Thus, some mean for enabling the customer to view a handheld item while getting a haircut or styling yet enabling the users of the cape to periodically clean them without damaging a viewing window would be very useful.

SUMMARY

The present invention, as disclosed and described herein, compromises an apparatus including a cape portion defining an opening through which an individual may view an item held in their hands when the cape portion is placed around the body of the individual. A transparent window for covering the opening in the cape portion is removably connected to the cape portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying Drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a cape including a removable transparent window placed on a customer;

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of the cape and the transparent removable window;

FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of the cape portion with the removable window removed;

FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment of a disposable cape with an integrated transparent window; and

FIG. 5 is a flow chart describing a process for retrofitting an existing cape to include a removable window.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers are used herein to designate like elements throughout, the various views and embodiments of a salon cape with a removable window to allow the use of electronic devices while wearing the cape are illustrated and described, and other possible embodiments are described. The figures are not necessarily drawn to scale, and in some instances the drawings have been exaggerated and/or simplified in places for illustrative purposes only. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate the many possible applications and variations based on the following examples of possible embodiments.

Referring now to the drawings, and in particular, to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a cape 102 including a removable window 104 through which a customer 106 may view a portable electronic device, book, etc., held within their hands while the cape 102 is placed over their body. The removable window 104 is made of a transparent material enabling a customer 106 to easily view any item held within their hands, while protecting the item from falling hair or other items being used during the haircut or hairstyling. The cape 102 functions in a standard fashion in order to protect the body of the customer 106 from having hair or other chemicals or product deposited on their body during a haircut or styling.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is more particularly illustrated the cape 102 and removable window 104. The cape 102 is configured in a substantially square or rectangular configuration to be placed over the body of a customer. However, various other shapes for the cape 102 may be utilized as long as the shape of the cape 102 enables the cape to be substantially placed over the body of a customer and protect the customer's body and clothing from hair, chemicals and other materials that may be utilized during a haircut or hairstyling. The material of the cape 102 may comprise cloth, polyester or other types of material that are appropriate for protecting the customer's body and clothing from the hair and chemicals or products used within the haircutting or styling process.

The cape 102 further defines a neck opening 202 into which the neck of a customer may be placed. Once the neck of the customer is placed within the opening 202 a fastening mechanism 204 such as a snap, button, Velcro, etc. that are located on each side of the neck opening 202 may be used to fastened the cape securely to the body of a customer. The fastening mechanism 204 may alter the size of the opening to accommodate different neck sizes. The fastening mechanism 204 holds the cape around the neck of the customer enabling the cape to rest on and cover the body of the customer during the haircut or hairstyling.

The removable window 104 is fastened over an opening 206 defined within the surface of the cape 102. While the illustration of FIG. 2 illustrates a rectangular opening 206, it will be appreciated that other shapes for the opening 206 and the removable window 104 may be utilized such as a circle, oval, etc. as long as the opening 206 and window 104 provide a sufficient area for a customer to view an electronic device or item held within their hands when the cape 102 is placed over their body.

Additionally, it is noted that the removable window 104 may define in one embodiment a small chamber into which a user hands and the portable electronic device or book may be placed. In the implementation of FIG. 2, this chamber is defined by the sides 208 of the removable window 104 having a triangular area and surfaces 210 and 212 inclosing two edges of the triangular sides 208. The remaining edge of the triangular sides 208 is open to enable the user to place their hands and their portable electronic device or item within the chamber. It will be appreciated that additional types of chambers having different cross sectional areas may be defined by the removable window 104 or, alternatively, the removable window 104 may comprise a flat transparent panel for covering the opening 206 within the cape 102.

The removable window 104 has its edges connected to the edges of the opening 206 defined in the cape 102 using a Velcro fastener 213 defined on the edges of the removable window 104 and the edges of the opening 206 defined within the cape 102. While the use of a Velcro fastener 213 has been described with respect to FIG. 2, other types of mechanisms for connecting the removable window 104 over the opening 206 of the cape 102 such as zippers, buttons, snaps, etc. may also be utilized.

By having the ability to remove the window 104 from the cape 102, the cape 102 may be washed and cleaned without damaging the transparency of the window 104 or viewability of items through the removable window 104. If the window 104 were placed within the washer and dryer along with the cape 102, the window 104 could be cracked or broken or create creases or distorted areas within the window 104 which would prevent a customer from easily viewing items through the window 104. Thus, the Velcro connector 113 or other type of connecting mechanism enables the removable window 104 to be removed from the cape allowing the cape 102 to be cleaned periodically. After the cape 102 is cleaned, the removable window 104 is fastened back over the opening 206.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is provided a top view of the configuration of the cape 102. The longitudinal edge 302 of the cape can in one embodiment be approximately 3.5 feet wide. The latitudinal edges 304 of the cape may be approximately 4.5 feet. These sizes can be altered to accommodate different body sizes such as oversized adults or small children. The opening 206 defines an area of 8.5 inches by 10 inches to provide a viewing area for the portable electronic device or other item through the window 208. The outer edges defining the Velcro boundary are 11.5 inches by 9.5 inches to provide an approximately 1 inch wide Velcro boundary for connection of the removable window 104. The neck opening 202 within the top edge of the cape may be 5.5 inches wide by 10.5 inches long in one embodiment. The variety of connecting means 204 and the length of the opening 202 enables varying neck sizes to be enclosed within the opening 202.

Referring now to FIG. 4, there is illustrated an alternative embodiment of the cape 402 wherein the window 404 is not removable and the cape 402 and window 404 are disposable. The cape 402 is made of some type of easily disposable single use material such as paper, polyvinyl material or some other type of relatively inexpensive material that may be disposed of after use. The window 404 covers an opening within the center of the cape 402 and comprises some type of transparent disposable material that may also be thrown away with cape 402 after a single or minimal use. The window 404 is not removable from the cape 402 in this embodiment as the entire cape and window assembly is thrown away after the single or minimal use rather than having the window 404 removed for washing of the cape 402. The window 404 defines a substantially flat surface that covers the opening in the cape 402. As before, the cape 402 defines a neck opening 406 into which the neck of a user may be placed.

The removable window configuration of FIGS. 1-3 may be purchased as a existing unit, or alternatively, an existing standard cape can be retrofitted to include a removable window that is attached with Velcro or some other type of fastening mechanism. In this case, the window and fastening mechanism would be sold as a single unit, and the existing cape would be reconfigured as described in FIG. 5. In the method described in FIG. 5, the tape is initially folded in half at step 502 by bringing the sides of the cape together. Thus, the half way fold point is along the top edge including the neck opening 202 and the bottom edge of the cape, such that the center fold is going from the center of the neck line to the center of the bottom edge of the cape. Next, a measurement is made at set 505 from the neckline down the center fold for predetermined distance. In a preferred embodiment, this distance is 10.5 inches from the bottom of the neckline along the center fold line. Next, a top edge of a pattern for the opening is placed at the measured point at step 506. The pattern is lined up by placing the edge of the pattern along the center fold line and the top edge of the pattern lined up with the measured mark of step 504. Next, at step 508 cuts are made around the edges of the pattern to create the opening within the cape. After the cape is unfolded, the cutting around the pattern defines a rectangular cutout (or other shape depending on pattern) within the center of the cape.

Next, a 1.5 inch border is measured and stitched around the edge of the opening defined within the cape at step 510. The stitching should comprise either double or triple stitching in the borders surrounding the opening. A slit is then cut at step 512 from the corners of the openings to the corners of the stitched border surrounding the opening. This creates a series of flaps around the edges of the opening. The flaps are folded back along the stitched lines at step 514, and each of the flaps are covered with a strip of Velcro at step 516 that is stitched in place such that the new larger opening is now surrounded by a border of Velcro to which each of the edges of a similarly shaped removable window may be placed. While the above discussion has been made with respect to a rectangular opening, it will of course be appreciated that the capes could be retrofitted to include different shaped openings as desired.

Thus, using the above-described salon cape having a removable window, a barber or stylist may periodically wash their cape without damaging the window normally used with the cape as they may be removed to enable washing of the cape without damaging the window. Additionally, the service providers could use disposable capes which are thrown away after each use or a minimal number of uses while still providing the transparent window for their customers. Finally, such service providers can retrofit their existing capes to include an opening over which a removable transparent window may be placed.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure that this salon cape with a removable window to allow the use of electronic devices provides an apparatus that may be periodically cleaned while maintaining the viewability through the transparent window. It should be understood that the drawings and detailed description herein are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive manner, and are not intended to be limiting to the particular forms and examples disclosed. On the contrary, included are any further modifications, changes, rearrangements, substitutions, alternatives, design choices, and embodiments apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the spirit and scope hereof, as defined by the following claims. Thus, it is intended that the following claims be interpreted to embrace all such further modifications, changes, rearrangements, substitutions, alternatives, design choices, and embodiments. 

1. An apparatus, comprising: a cape portion defining an opening through which an individual may view an item held in their hands when the cape portion is placed around a body of the individual; and a transparent window for covering the opening in the cape portion removably connected to the cape portion.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a fastener for connecting the transparent window over the opening defined in the cape portion.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the fastener further comprises Velcro strips along edges of the removable window and edges of the opening defined within the cape portion.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cape defines a second opening for receiving a neck of the individual.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transparent window comprises a substantially flat panel.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transparent window defines a chamber for containing the item above a surface of the cape portion.
 7. An apparatus for protecting an individual receiving a hair cut, comprising: a cape portion defining an opening through which the individual may view an item held in their hands when the cape portion is placed around a body of the individual; a transparent window for covering the opening in the cape portion removably connected to the cape portion; a fastener for connecting the transparent window over the opening defined in the cape portion.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the fastener further comprises Velcro strips along edges of the removable window and edges of the opening defined within the cape portion.
 9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the fastener further comprises a zipper.
 10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the fastener comprises snaps.
 11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the cape defines a second opening for receiving a neck of the individual.
 12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the transparent window comprises a substantially flat panel.
 13. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the transparent window defines a chamber for containing the item above a surface of the cape portion.
 14. An apparatus, comprising: a cape portion defining an opening through which an individual may view an item held in their hands when the cape portion is placed around a body of the individual; and a transparent window comprising a substantially flat panel for covering the opening in the cape portion.
 15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the cape defines a second opening for receiving a neck of the individual.
 16. The apparatus of claim 15 further including adjustable fasteners for securing the cape portion around differing size necks of the individual located around the second opening.
 17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the cape portion and the transparent window are made of a disposable material. 